The present invention relates to a strand guide for an arcuate continuous casting plant, in particular a continuous casting plant for steel slabs, comprising at least one arcuate, horizontally displaceable supporting and guiding structure.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,847 and from U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,083 it is known to move an arcuate supporting and guiding structure in the horizontal direction in the arc plane out of the continuous casting plant. This has the advantage that no consuming means are necessary therefor; it suffices to provide but a car that is movable on rails (U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,083) and on which the supporting and guiding arc can be placed, or it is also possible to provide wheels directly on the supporting and guiding structure (U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,847). Yet, very much space is necessary with these designs in the arc plane, thus requiring a large hall construction.
It is furthermore known from German Pat. Nos. 2,425,883 and 1,285,095 to remove, in the arc plane, shorter supporting and guiding structures which, one adjacent the other, form a quarter-circularly arc-shaped structure at first transversely to the strand direction in the direction to the center of the curvature of the arcuate supporting and guiding structure and then vertically upwardly. This mode of construction necessitates complex and consuming guides for the parts to be removed, which guides occupy the space as far as to the center of the curvature of the supporting and guiding structure, thus limiting the space and the clearness on the casting platform; the accessibility to the individual parts of the plant is also impaired in these known constructions.
According to German Auslegeschrift No. 1,920,757 it is furthermore known to move such shorter supporting and guiding structures radially outwardly in the arc plane for the purpose of removing them, then displace them downwardly outside of the arcuate supporting and guiding structure along the same and afterwards move them horizontally out of the plant. With this construction, not only are very consuming rail guides with shunts, etc. necessary, but the space and thus the accessibility to the plant are also greatly impaired.